"5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in very natureGod, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This whole theme of God intervening on our behalf is growing everyday for me! Christmas is a vast intervention by God into the world. I find Christmas in these verses, "... He made Himself nothing by taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man(Christmas) He humbled Himself..." WOW!!!

The humility of God at Christmas is astounding! God humbled himself! WOW!!! I hope I can always grow in my appreciation of that - there is life there! I never ever want to be bored by that reality - the fact that God humbled Himself to the point of "being found in appearance as a human" must never ever be mundane theological jargon.

Every Christmas carol is thanks, praise, worship, repeating and rehearsing that reality into our lives.

In that humility God intervened and brought into the situation on my behalf what I could not bring into the situation - that's grace - unmerited favor! He brought Himself as a sacrifice for me so I wouldn't be the sacrifice - He paid so I wouldn't have to - He gave His life so I could live and not have to give mine!

Today I get to be very aware of my humble God who intervenes for me - who brings into my "today" what I can not bring!

Lord Jesus, as I walk through the hours of my day I pray a big "thank you and praise you" for humbly intervening on my behalf. I thank you for Christmas. I determine by faith to live this day in that place of life you made possible for me to live in this day! A place of hope and "not aloneness"! I also will live this day with the confidence that you are still an intervening God - humbly bringing into my life and circumstance what I cannot provide for myself! Amen